A ring laser gyroscope typically includes a solid block of a glass material having a plurality of interconnected passages that are arranged in a closed loop to create a resonant cavity. Reflective surfaces are positioned at the intersection of each of the passages, and a lasing gas is contained within the resonant cavity. Electrical potentials applied to the lasing gas generate counter-propagating laser beams in the resonant cavity. The ring laser gyroscope utilizes interference of the laser beams within the resonant cavity to detect changes in orientation and rate of turn.
During operation of a ring laser gyroscope, the glass material of the solid block typically exhibits ionic migration, which is a diffusion process that is dependent on temperature and strength of the electric field within the glass material. Such ionic migration can negatively impact the life of the ring laser gyroscope. For example, ring laser gyroscopes are known to exhibit a reduction of lifetime because of lithium ion migration in the solid block that results from applied potential bias, especially at higher temperatures.